The BBC is making a new play for news-hungry listeners with “The Global Story,” a daily podcast focused on the intersection of news “where the world and the United States meet.”
“The Global Story” is set to debut Sept. 3, with episodes to be released each morning Monday-Friday. The podcast will be available in the U.K. on BBC Sounds and outside the U.K. on BBC.com, the BBC app and audio platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. BBC.com last month instituted a new paywall for U.S. users who want unlimited access to the site; however, Americans will be able to listen to the podcast (and others from the BBC) for free.
The new daily podcast will be co-hosted by Asma Khalid (based in Washington, D.C.), former NPR White House correspondent, and Tristan Redman, former international reporter at Al Jazeera (based in London). Also joining “The Global Story” team is executive editor Annie Brown, former senior producer for the New York Times’ “The Daily” podcast.
“The Global Story,” from the BBC World Service and BBC Studios, “reflects the BBC’s ongoing commitment to growing its international audience,” according to the broadcaster. At NPR, Khalid covered U.S. politics for the last decade and she was co-host of “The NPR Politics Podcast.” Redman, who has two decades of global international reporting experience with Al Jazeera, hosted 2023 narrative podcast series “Ghost Story” from Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios.
The podcast will join the BBC World Service’s existing lineup of podcasts, including the daily “Newshour” radio program and the “Global News Podcast,” which provides breaking-news updates.
“I’ve spent years covering American politics and I’m more convinced than ever that we need a show like this — that dives into news, narrative and global issues — with the goal of connecting the dots in our strange political times,” Khalid said in a statement. Redman said: “As a British-American journalist, I couldn’t be more excited to tell stories about the interplay between America and the world. From my career in the field, I’ve seen firsthand that U.S. actions have global consequences. Asma and I will be making sense of all this — backed by the finest newsroom in the business.”
Jon Zilkha, controller of BBC World Service English, added, “The perspective provided by ‘The Global Story,’ and its hosts Asma and Tristan, is much needed in the fast-changing political landscape we are living in. I am excited that we can share it with listeners this September.”